Maple Leafs fans missed Matvei Gridin's griddy on Monday night unless they paid extra for Sportsnet+.
Toronto's game in Calgary streamed exclusively on Sportsnet+, which meant regular Sportsnet subscribers on cable couldn't watch it.
The reaction across the country was immediate, loud and not even a little bit polite.
“This isn't how you grow the game,” one fan wrote on X, tagging the NHL's PR account.
Another called Sportsnet+ “such a monumental miss,” saying they'd follow the game on the radio or through “everyone else's reactions on X.”
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Then there's the money. Fans pointed out it costs $12.99 plus HST per month with Sportsnet through cable, and $34.99 plus HST without it.
Rogers faces a fan revolt over Sportsnet+ pricing
Rogers took the brunt of it. One fan called the setup a “subscription shakedown” and laid it out: “Pay for cable, pay again to stream, then pay even more to escape blackouts.”
Another went further, calling it “rank thievery” before adding, “Deregulate the telecoms now!”
They're right to be angry. Stacking another monthly fee on top of cable, in this economy, to watch an October game is a bad business plan.
It's like buying a ticket to the rink and then getting charged again at the turnstile just to reach your seat.
And this wasn't a dull night to miss. Zack MacEwen and Jacob Middleton dropped the gloves, and Gridin scored twice before breaking out the dance.
The Leafs came into the night riding a four-game win streak, exactly the kind of run that pulls casual fans back in.
So who exactly is this built for? The diehards grumble and pay, while the casual fan just changes the channel.
One fan noted that viewing for three Canadian teams is now restricted unless you pay what they called a “devil's ransom.”
The Leafs head to Seattle on Wednesday. Whether fans can watch that one without reaching for their wallet again is the question Rogers still hasn't answered.
Would you pay for Sportsnet+ to watch the Maple Leafs?
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